Local DAB+ Antwerp, Schleswig-Holstein, HeliSwiss (video) – RadioVisie
And then the Antwerp local DAB + was on air
We start this Sunday paper with ‘important news‘, because the Antwerp local DAB has been on the air for a few hours, via block 10A. For the time being, it only concerns a test in Antwerp with one dipole. The channels are well supplied. The Boom and Heist-op-den-Berg broadcasting locations are therefore yet to follow. This is immediately the fourth province, after East Flanders, Limburg and Flemish Brabant, with a local trial mux. The Antwerp mux contains 12 local stations, each with a capacity of 96 kbp/s: Radio FG Xtra, Radio Stad, Radio Park FM, Radio Expres, Radio Centraal, Radio Zuidrand, Reflex, Radio Opsinjoor, Radio Christina, Zoe FM, Radio Pallieter and RGR Classic Hits. About West Flanders: they expect to receive their filters soon.
Germany: Schleswig-Holstein gets regular private DAB+
The Medienanstalt Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein (MA HSH) plans to exploit capacity in Schleswig-Holstein to operate a regular DAB+. Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost German state, including one of the slower ones in terms of DAB+ rollout. The existing private capacity is currently still as a test operation, with local muxes in Lübeck, Kiel and on the island of Sylt. The licenses will start on December 31, 2022. The ordinary media authority wants to make a decision on the new tender on March 30. It will be interesting to see whether, in addition to the redistribution of local broadcasting slots, space will also be created for a national mux for private radio stations. Only one private broadcaster, by the name of R.SH, is currently broadcasting in the multiplex of the Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) as part of the test operation.
HeliSwiss is no longer allowed to fly its (Russian) helicopters
The western against Russia also have nasty consequences for HeliSwiss. In the European radio world, we have known this Swiss company for years for its powerful twin-rotor helicopters with a lifting capacity of up to 5 tons. They are regularly used for placing pylons and antennas (see video). The only downside to these rock-solid machines: they’re Russian. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has banned not only Russian airlines but also all aircraft of Russian origin, probably registered, within the EU. For HeliSwiss you will find two devices: the Kamov KA32-A11BC and KA32-A12. Both helicopters have been modified by Swiss Helicopter Engineering to increase visibility and safety during operations. Due to the flight ban, HeliSwiss sees its fleet reduced to one more helicopter, a French-made AS 332 Super Puma C1.